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Undead
The Dead That Walk Undead were an ever-present concern in the early days of human civilization. Beginning with an ancient Terran pandemic event called the Black Death, subsequent epidemics and pandemics were accompanied by those falling prey to illness persisting after their deaths, moving as a herd and infecting or killing what remained of humanity in the area. Quickly, the commonplace form of undead was termed the 'zombi', a term that has persisted to this day as such outbreaks can and do occur even in the face of today's sterilization techniques and standards of cleanliness. We know now that the reanimation of dead humans is due to a fungus (Ophiocordyceps sapiens rexis), ''passed on symbiotically with humanity, and can sterilize it from an individual. However, the fungus seems to have promoted the development of psychic potential within the species, and as such exterminating the risky organism from the galaxy has yet to occur. The reward outweighs the risk, thus far. However, as a precautionary measure, fire emission weaponry has become somewhat common in colonies for emergency necrotype defense. Not all necrotypes are ravening, mindless beasts, however. 'Mummies' - Desiccated Necrotypes Slang terms: Crisps/Crackers, De-hy, Creaks, Creeps, Deadites, Pharaohs, Thinmints Once, mummies occurred naturally, by accident in extremely remote regions as explorers and prepared sacrifices were killed in specific ways as to promote a collaborative development between ''O. sapiens rexis ''and the human brain. As a result, medically, the body dies and the brain largely calcifies, but neurochemical transmissions persist past the calcification of the brain. The 'necrocomputer' that the brain becomes is a major point of interest for Autregrand and many other bioengineering firms. Mummies become entirely static. The body does not repair itself, but the mummy need not eat. The mechanisms of the body continue to movie, though the mummy is typically afflicted with a significant sense of ennui and lethargy, a metaphysical weariness that grows more significant with time. Due to the circumstances of their creation, most mummies are highly inquisitive individuals, and often have subjects they are passionate about. This is, typically, the one thing keeping them from simply sitting down for the rest of eternity and doing nothing. Mummies are very rare, due to the circumstances of their development. The 'secret' of creating a mummy is really a specific suite of environmental conditions, unlikely to occur on their own. Most mummies these days died of unfortunate or foolish circumstances early in the terraforming cycle of a colonial planet; previously, they tended to be explorers in equatorial deserts or high mountain regions, or culturally-prepared sacrifices for certain religious practices. Of note is that the heart, during the process of mummification - with sapient necrotypal mummies, specifically, not traditionally-prepared mummified cadavers - undergoes a curious metamorphosis. It becomes a secondary center of processing, whose purpose is still yet to be fully understood. However, its existence is as vital as the cerebral brain of the mummy to its continued existence. Characteristic Changes '''Making a mummy costs 4 character benefits.' Mummies retain a POW score regardless of the condition of the body. This cannot be used for the development of conventional psychic powers; rather, it has other uses, which will remain mysterious briefly. Mummies have the following benefits and drawbacks: *-3 STR, -3 STA, -1 SIZ. The fundamental lethargy of their existence and the desiccation of the body renders mummies rather physically unimpressive. They are incapable of grand feats of strength, and their forms become rather brittle. *+2 DEX, +2 INT, +5 EDU. The loss of mass gives mummy hands a certain spidery dexterity, and interest and lack of distraction deepen their breadth of education and sharpen the wit. *0 APP. Mummies can only be considered physically attractive if there is something very wrong with an individual. Nothing prevents a mummy from being charismatic or personable, however, aside from any sense of indifference they have with their existence. *Mummies do not eat or sleep. They do not grow more weary than they already are. They do not recover from injuries. Outside of creative taxidermy or practical hardware augmentation, they do not ever recover from injury. *Most mummies are highly flammable. Fire is the one threat that can inspire panic in the mummy. *Mummies are only ever temporarily disabled, unless the brain or 'heart' is destroyed. Bear in mind they do not heal; often mummies must persist for some time with 1HP. Mummies are often... very patient. Mummy... Powers? Each necrotypal power costs 1 character benefit to 'unlock'. Once unlocked, that power is added as a skill just like psychic powers are, using 3xPOW as the base percentile chance in the skill. Mummy powers are: *Desiccation *Microbiota Affinity *Rapid Recovery *Reanimation *Hand of Decay 'Ghouls' - Degenerative Necrotypes Slang terms: Eaters, Nasties, Rotmouths, Creeps, Freaks, Rotters, Deadites, What The Fucks Contrary to mummies, ghouls are relatively common; a rough ratio would be for every mummy, there are fifty ghouls. Ghouls occur when O. sapiens rexis bonds with the brain in a different manner, only in cases where the brain is saturated with extreme amounts of the hormone ghrelin, known for some time as a 'hunger hormone.' A similar process to the mummy's cerebral calcification occurs, except instead of calcification the ghoul's brain effectively rubberizes. Ghouls are the opposite of mummies in almost every regard. While being fundamentally similar - in that both are sapient undead - the differences between the two are profound. Ghouls are consumed, literally, from within with an incredible, unceasing hunger - the ghrelin saturating their brain remains there, indefinitely. The only sensations that can combat the desperate hunger for a ghoul are nause and disgust, from eating foods they cannot digest, and internal pressure, from eating their fill. The ghoul's body develops into something of a caustic swamp, internally, as their digestive organs break down and become more potently active when taking in and breaking down meat and bone, the favored diet of a ghoul. Ghouls have reported favoring the taste of meat that has had some time to age, and cooked meat is barely palateable. Vegetation and other non-flesh, non-bone foods are impossible for ghouls to eat. Ghouls are, however, capable of subsisting on the flavor-neutral nutrient paste that CCS prison facilities grant all inmates - though the taste of it is prone to drive them somewhat mad. Ghouls can never know the existential weight that burdens mummies, as their every day is a cycle of extremes and a struggle for survival. Over time, changes throughout the ghoul's body become more prevalent. The stomach and intestines dissolve into a cauldron of disgusting internals, exuding a perpetual stench. Their teeth thin out into needle-like fangs. Some develop a plasticity to their features that allows them to resculpt their appearance freely. Limbs lengthen and grow thin and taut, hair grows oily and turns to a greenish-yellow, dark black, reddish-brown, or sickly grey or white depending on the ghoul's original hair colour. Fingernails thicken into bony claws. Between these changes and the stench, ghouls historically have great difficulty blending into modern society. Characteristic Changes Making a ghoul costs 4 character benefits. Ghouls retain a POW score regardless of the condition of the body. This cannot be used for the development of conventional psychic powers; rather, it has other uses, which will remain mysterious briefly. Ghouls have the following benefits and drawbacks: *-3 to +3 STR, +3 STA, +2 SIZ. Ghouls grow quite strong when having just fed, but if they go hungry they begin to grow feeble. Regardless, their body develops a hardness and resilience that rivals the most hardened performance fighter, and 'stretches' over time. *+3 to -3 DEX, +2 to -2 INT. The desperation of hunger inspires ghouls to rapid, frenetic activity and a certain desperate clarity to their wit. However, the satiation of fullness renders them somewhat slow to move, and hampers their ability to think. *0 APP. Ghouls can only be considered physically attractive if there is something very wrong with an individual. Nothing prevents a ghoul from being charismatic or personable, however, aside from emotional outbursts due to hunger or panic. *Ghouls regenerate depending on how much they have eaten. If a ghoul eats a sum of flesh and bone equivalent to roughly one entire adult human of average proportion, they are capable of 'burning' through that quantity as their stomach liquefies it and their body redistributes the fleshy morass to repair itself most effectively, rapidly reducing themselves to the sensation of starvation in order to fully, immediately, recover their HP. If they merely remain fed and ensure that remains the case, they passively heal 2D4 HP per week. When 'neutrally hungry', 1D4 HP per week. When avidly hungry, ghouls do not regenerate. *Ghouls cannot retain consumed flesh after sustaining an injury to their stomach until it has been sutured shut. Injuries to the stomach immediately induce the effects of starvation upon a ghoul. *Ghouls are only ever temporarily disabled, unless the brain is completely destroyed or they are rendered completely unable to retain meals. *Ghouls gain claw and bite as personal unarmed attacks. A ghoul may claw with any limb whose nails are bare. These attacks are prone to inducing virulent infection. *Ghouls smell awful and have great difficulty masking this odor. *If subsisting on the prison's nutri-paste, ghouls can only 'zero out' their flexible attributes. It is not particularly thrilling - in fact, it's actively disgusting for them to eat - but it's more comfortable than starving. *If taking on augmentations, ghouls cannot replace their digestive system. *If ghouls persist at 'starvation' for a day or more, they begin to rapidly decompose, and over time, will enter a foul-smelling state of stasis where they can do nothing unless force-fed - an act of mercy that only the saintliest of non-ghoul individuals will undertake. Ghoul... Powers? Each necrotypal power costs 1 character benefit to 'unlock'. Once unlocked, that power is added as a skill just like psychic powers are, using 3xPOW as the base percentile chance in the skill. Ghoul powers are: *Bilious Breath *Fleshsculpting *Horrid Spew *Boneflower *Vermin Affinity Category:Undead Category:About Category:Mechanics Category:Homotype